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Graduate Showcases, Work Experience and Mentoring

Africa Fashion Week London’s relationship with the University of Northampton began in 2019, when we proudly showcased Grace Owusu’s graduate collection on the AFWL catwalk. What started as a single showcase quickly evolved into a meaningful and ongoing partnership.

In 2020, during the Covid-19 lockdown, we launched a dedicated mentoring programme to support students at risk of failure. Ten students were paired with established designers who guided them through an exceptionally challenging academic and creative period.

In 2021, we supported five graduates who had been denied showcase opportunities due to lockdown restrictions, ensuring their work still received the platform it deserved. That same year, 20 students joined us backstage, gaining invaluable hands-on experience in live event production. The collaboration continued in 2023, with University of Northampton students once again working backstage and strengthening their industry skills.

Most recently, at AFWL2025, Sylvia Osawe brought her collection to our runway. Shortlisted at Graduate Fashion Week 2025 for the Dame Zandra Rhodes Fashion Textiles Award and The Face Prize, Sylvia’s showcase was especially poignant. Having previously volunteered at AFWL, her backstage experience became a turning point in her creative journey — inspiring and shaping the vision for her final-year collection, My Edo Heritage.

Africa Fashion Week London 2021 Graduate Showcase

Person wearing a colorful, patchwork coat with abstract, embroidered designs and patterns.
Fashion model wearing colorful, eclectic streetwear with a graphic print jacket, purple and green long-sleeve top, coral shorts, and holding a green bag, walking on a runway.
Three women walking on a runway, wearing colorful, eclectic fashion outfits. The outfits include bold patterns, bright colors, and unique accessories.
A model wearing a large, avant-garde black and white puffer coat with artistic patterns and text, walking on a runway.
Model walking runway in fashion show wearing a black and white avant-garde outfit with text prints, layered design, high socks, and black boots.
Two women pose indoors; one wears a black crop top and white pants, the other has a black and white patterned puffer jacket with a high bun hairstyle.
Model wearing a tan outerwear garment with bold orange accents and multiple buckles on a fashion runway.
Fashion model wearing a ruffled strapless top and yellow pants on a runway, accessorized with earrings, a choker, and bracelets.
A model walking on a runway in a bright yellow dress with ruffles, paired with a black leather jacket and colorful accessories including a choker and a long, multi-colored earring.
A man and woman holding hands, dressed in fashion-forward outfits, standing indoors with warm lighting.
A woman walking on a runway wearing an eclectic, colorful, African-inspired fashion ensemble with mixed patterns, ruffles, and accessories including a large necklace, hoop earrings, and a cuff bracelet.
A model on a runway wearing a colorful, layered African-inspired outfit with ruffled fabric and traditional patterns, accessorized with a large gold choker.
A woman with short greenish-blue hair wearing a colorful, layered dress with fringes, and bold jewelry, standing confidently on a runway.
Three women in colorful traditional African attire walking down a runway with ornate metal gates in the background.

University of Northampton Graduate and AFWL2019 Catwalk Designer, Grace Owusu. Read about her experience at AFWL here.

Grace Owusu, Graduate Designer from the University of Northampton Fashion Institute
Fashion designer and models on runway at Africa Fashion Week London.

Mentoring

Partnering with the University of Northampton, AFWL delivered a sound mentoring programme - pairing students with globally established designers and brands. The programme started in the Summer 2020 with the aim to:

  • Create and deliver a nurturing experience between the Mentor and the Mentee.

  •  Identify specific objectives for each mentoring session – minimum of 1 session per week lasting 1.5 hours.

  • Establish a mentoring programme that has been critically evaluated to funding standards and endorsement.

  • Achieve the students' academic goals and a sound preparation for employment.

    Read about our 1st set of mentees and their experience here.

Africa Fashion Week London mentoring programme with University of Northampton

Event Experience

Every year we take on 80 students from various UK universities to learn about Africa Fashion Week London and take part in the event.

They take roles backstage, front of house, in photography and videography, marketing and social media and event production.

They gain valuable experience behind the scenes in the fashion industry.

A woman ties the straps of green high-heeled sandals on another woman's legs, who is wearing embellishment-decorated stockings.